Guilt
by BaeBears
Summary: Maybe he'll forgive himself one day, but for now, he'll protect her. Gajevy. Rated T for self harm and some cussing.


**Hey guys! It's BaeBears with a new story :) Please enjoy this Gajevy oneshot!**

He watched as she drew a shaky breath, small hands clasping his as she brought them under the light. He made no move to resist.

"Gajeel," she whispered, her eyes wide with horror, trembling fingers clutching onto his hands desperately, "what... what did you do?"

He looked away, eyes squeezing shut as the unwanted memories flooded his mind. Guilt gnawed at his heart as he stared into her warm brown eyes. How could he have been so heartless? Evil?

So much blood.

"Ga-Gajeel," her voice was more frantic as she washed off the crimson liquid that stained his hands, eyes searching his own for an answer, "what did you do to your hands?!" Her voice rose higher in pitch at each word, her hands tremble no as she tried to focus.

His eyes landed on the scars on her palms, large horrible circles of raw bumpy pink that never healed properly, reminding him of how he didn't deserve her, how he still caused her nightmares, how she was still too good for him. How could a monster possibly touch such a pure creature?

"Punishment," he muttered, staring blankly at the blood stained carpet. The nails that he had driven into his palms in his surge of guilt and anger lay on the floor, a thick layer of blood coating the iron.

"Punishment?" She spat the word out like poison, "Punishment for what?" Her voice was demanding, angry, even.

Why couldn't she understand?

"I hurt you, Levy, I hurt you so, so bad," he was trembling helplessly, "I know you have nightmares, and that's why you go to the guild so early in the morning. I don't deserve you, a- all I fucking do is cause you pain and hurt you! I needed to... Please... "

She was so breakable; a fragile china doll. He had broken her once. He couldn't break her **again.** He couldn't touch her. He was dark, she was light. He would taint her, destroy her, like what he did to everything. Those hands that he had hurt clasped his face and he flinched.

"I've already forgiven you, Gajeel," she murmured sweetly, reassuringly, "and the only one who hasn't forgive you is yourself."

Why couldn't she fucking understand? How could she be so... So forgiving? So caring? Didn't she realise how dangerous he was? Didn't she know that she would get hurt?

"You don't understand, I can't- you shouldn't forgive me! How can you forgive me? I'm a monster! I'll hurt you! I-I..."

She fell silent for a moment, biting her lip.

"I don't understand," she finally said, "But I know that you are not a monster. No, listen to me, Gajeel. You are more than a monster. So what if things get destroyed by your hands? Things can be fixed. You'real not a monster. You're Gajeel Redfox. Do you hear me? Gajeel Redfox is not a monster."

He flinched when she rubbed his tears away with her thumb gently.

"You still get nightmares."

He knew that very well. He'd watched her before. Heard her scream. Heard her thrash in her own bed, turning over and over, reliving that horrible night. When he saw the tear tracks staining her cheeks, he would leave.

it was too much.

"You... You should be scared of me."

"Well, I'm not!" She shot back defiantly, "Because that person in my dreams isn't you. I know you won't hurt me. I know you won't."

"But... But..."

But how could she? How could she be so trusting? So forgiving? How did she keep that bright smile on her face day after day, even though he had destroyed her?

"My mom used to tell me that scars were stories."

He scoffed.

"Must be a horrible story then."

She raised an eyebrow, lifting her palms to show him the scars. A soft smile appeared on her face.

"I think it's beautiful. It's a tale of redemption and forgiveness. It's a tale of how far we've come, and it's a tale of light."

he swallowed thickly, reminded of how he still didn't and would never be worthy of her light.

"I'll stain it."

Her eyes widened challengingly.

"Then stain it. There's no light without darkness. It'll only grow brighter and brighter."

He kissed her scars, fruitlessly wishing that they would go away.

"You know, Gajeel, all it takes is a little love to forgive someone."Her sweet breath caressed his skin as she enveloped him in a large hug, warmth erupting from her small body as the pure light she emitted embraced him.

Maybe, one day, he would forgive himself.

But for now, he would protect her.

Protect her light.

Protect her smile.

And he would be damned if anyone dared make that smile disappear.

 **Love it? Hate it? Please review! And for those awesome reviewers and readers of Fly, I'm so sorry. Really. I had a serious bout of writers block. Basically, I had the whole plot outlined, but when I tried to put it in words, it just turned out so unsatisfactory. I'm sorry. I have like, 100 drafts, but none of them are complete. I may be making this a Gajevy series of oneshots, but I'm not really sure. Tell me in your reviews if you want me to add all my random Gajevy oneshots that I've written in my phone to this. :)**


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